Medicinal Heroin

July 31, 1985

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Canadian hospitals will have heroin available for the terminally ill by mid-October. The drug will be imported from Britain where this use has been legal for some time. The principal problem has been solved: Guidelines. They were worked out by officials of Federal Health Minister Jake Epp's department with the provinces and representatives of the medical profession. Epp: ''If its use is too broad, there's a threat of diversion to non-medical use. And if the guidelines are too restrictive, some people who need it may not be able to get it. I think we've reached a happy compromise.'' Epp said a regulatory change in the Narcotics Act will be required to permit the medicinal use of heroin.